I have copies of two official documents that I am attempting to translate. I'd really appreciate any guidance with these. I also have a letter that I'd like to have help with as well. Although I have managed to glean some information from the following documents, my translating skills amount to an Italian/English dictionary and trial and error.

The first document is saying that they haven't found either of the names mentioned in the marriage records of the town. Basically they are free to marry.
The second is a birth extract, the translation of which you can find on my website.

I have one letter written from my grandfather's family in Belmonte Mezzagno to him in the US. The handwriting is a bit difficult to make out. The letter is 4 pages on ruled note paper. Each page is a separate link. I'd appreciate any help with names and/or general meaning of the letter.

the letter is from the brother of your ancestor.... written in bad italian and also some dialectal word, and the concept is that the italian family receveid 3 letter from he, and also the mother in Italy.... many many best regards, the hope of to see it some time in the future, the wishes for the family, the italian brother said that he have 4 children(3 females and 1 male), and that they are very poor, and that the time for to live are very bad... asking if also the brother in USa have some son or if have olny daughter.. also saying that the mother cry any day for he, and thinking always of he, now the mother is "vecchiarella"= a bit old people, and that all in Italy are well in health... and so for all txt letter, always same things... many best wishes for the sister in law and the godfather ( or similar: he saying compare, and the compare is or the godfather of he or of a son/daughter) Antonino.....
regards, suanj

tjbrn wrote:I have copies of two official documents that I am attempting to translate. I'd really appreciate any guidance with these. I also have a letter that I'd like to have help with as well. Although I have managed to glean some information from the following documents, my translating skills amount to an Italian/English dictionary and trial and error.

it are no marriage note in the registries of marriages from 1 January 1896 until 1912 abt Dragotto Ignazio... the second is the birthact:
DRAGOTTO Ignazio born to hours A.M. 2.30 of day 14, October month, 1883 year, in the house of Via San Cipirrello( or similar) address, from DRAGOTTO Stefano age 26, farmer domiciled in Belmonte and from Mazzola Giuseppa, age 26, housewife.
Witnesses:
DE SANTIS Antonino age 48 musician
CASTELLANA Filippo age 50 shoemaker
regards, suanj

the letter is from the brother of your ancestor.... written in bad italian and also some dialectal word, and the concept is that the italian family receveid 3 letter from he, and also the mother in Italy.... many many best regards, the hope of to see it some time in the future, the wishes for the family, the italian brother said that he have 4 children(3 females and 1 male), and that they are very poor, and that the time for to live are very bad... asking if also the brother in USa have some son or if have olny daughter.. also saying that the mother cry any day for he, and thinking always of he, now the mother is "vecchiarella"= a bit old people, and that all in Italy are well in health... and so for all txt letter, always same things... many best wishes for the sister in law and the godfather ( or similar: he saying compare, and the compare is or the godfather of he or of a son/daughter) Antonino.....regards, suanj

Isn't there some mention of a brother-in-law/sister-n-law Gaetano Dragotto? I can't really make out the endings to tell if they are masculine or feminine. There appears also to be a child named Stefano, perhaps the son of the person writing the letter. There also appears to be a signature of some sort in the margin of the last page "Gano" or something like that, could that be the name of the person writing the letter? Another name mentioned seems to be a sister Carmela, is that correct? I am trying to get as many names as possible so that I can facilitate searching and obtaining Italian documents and records. One last question. Does this letter contain any written Sicilian? I've read that Sicilian is no longer used as a written language and that it isn't part of the education system in Italy.

Stefano is the son of the writer (Gaetano Dragotto aka Tano=diminutive of Gaetano) abt Carmela, the phrase is: our best regards to your mother in law as also her daughter Carmela.... normally in all pages the writer call it: fratello=brother

I have one letter written from my grandfather's family in Belmonte Mezzagno to him in the US. The handwriting is a bit difficult to make out. The letter is 4 pages on ruled note paper. Each page is a separate link. I'd appreciate any help with names and/or general meaning of the letter.

The dialects of modern Italian all have their roots in the spoken form of Latin (Vulgar Latin), in use throughout the Roman Empire. Vulgar Latin had, no doubt, its own local peculiarities before the fall of the Empire. The political instability that followed Roman rule kept Italy from re-uniting as ...

In order to provide you with the best online experience we use cookies.